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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath being felicitated by BJP leader Aparna Bisht Yadav, in Lucknow. (PTI Photo)
Aparna Yadav, who contested the 2017 UP elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket, joined the BJP in 2022.
The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government announced the formation of a new Women’s Commission, appointing Babita Chauhan as its chairperson. Notably, Aparna Yadav, the daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, has been appointed as one of the vice-chairpersons. Charu Chaudhary from Gorakhpur has also been named vice-chairperson.
In addition to Yadav and Chaudhary, Congress party member Dr Priyanka Maurya, known for her ‘Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon’ (I’m a girl, I can fight) campaign, and Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Manisha Ahlawat are among the commission’s 25 members.
Aparna Yadav, who contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket but lost to BJP candidate Rita Bahuguna Joshi, joined the BJP in 2022. Despite speculation about a possible return to the electoral arena, Yadav expressed her willingness to contribute in any capacity offered by her party.
Known for her candid views on political issues and advocacy for women’s rights, Yadav recently garnered significant attention following her latest appointment. Yadav is currently under media focus for her prominent role and her new position is seen by some as a strategic move by the BJP, potentially intensifying challenges for the Samajwadi Party. Aparna Yadav is an alumna of Loreto Convent School in Lucknow.
The newly-established Women’s Commission has announced its roster of 25 members, representing a wide range of regions across Uttar Pradesh. The members include Anju Prajapati, Dr Priyanka Maurya, Ritu Shahi, and Ekta Singh from Lucknow. From Meerut, the commission welcomes Himani Agarwal, Meenakshi Bharala, and Manisha Ahlawat.
Kanpur is represented by Poonam Dwivedi and Anita Gupta, while Avni Singh and Sangeeta Jain join from Bijnor. Sunita Shrivastava represents Ballia, and Anupama Singh comes from Jhansi. Sujita Kumar will represent Kheri, and Meena Kumari joins from Aligarh. Neelam Prabhat is the representative from Mirzapur, with Geeta Bind from Jaunpur and Geeta Vishwakarma from Prayagraj.
Pushpa Pandey is appointed from Bareilly, Sunita Saini from Rampur, and Archana Patel from Lalitpur. Janak Nandini joins from Sant Kabir Nagar, Pratima Kushwah from Kaushambi, Renu Gaur from Kasganj, and Sapna Kashyap from Saharanpur.
The commission’s diverse membership reflects a broad geographic representation, aiming to address and advocate for women’s issues throughout the state.